WEBDESK: Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, said that lasting peace in Balochistan needs more than just the use of force.
He described the province’s situation as “historic and complex”, and said building trust with the people is the key.
He made these remarks while addressing the 75th anniversary event of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) held at the Sindh Chief Minister House. “We are launching projects that go beyond force. The real challenge is to win the trust of the people,” he said.
Bilawal said that although force may be needed in some situations, it cannot fix Balochistan’s long-standing issues. He added that federal leaders often fail to fully understand the province’s problems.
To make real progress, he said, there must be honest engagement, strong investment, and consistent hard work.
Bilawal praise role of Pakistani media during Pak-India conflict
Bilawal praised Pakistani journalists for their role during the recent conflict with India. He said that while both countries were engaged in a battle of narratives, Pakistan’s media stood firm.
“Our journalists focused on facts and credibility. That is something to be proud of,” he said.
He described today’s media environment as a “global battlefield”, where false information spreads fast. He said that Pakistani journalism helped expose Indian disinformation during the five-day conflict in May.
He also credited the Pakistan Air Force for what he called a “6–0 victory” over India in that conflict, calling it a historic response by the military.
“Pakistan and India are also in a media war and Pakistan’s media played a strong role,” he said.
Digital Media and Disinformation
Bilawal called digital platforms a national asset and welcomed the government’s move to lift the ban on such platforms during the war. He said he hoped this freedom would continue.
He warned that disinformation campaigns, especially targeting Balochistan, Sindh, and Kashmir, were being used by hostile forces like India.
“Extremist elements use fake news to spread hate and terrorism,” he said.
He promised to work with PFUJ to bring stronger laws to protect journalists and stop disinformation.
“We will do everything we can to protect journalism and we need the media’s support,” he said.
Bilawal also shared a positive update from Sindh. He said the provincial government is building 210,000 homes for flood-affected families.
These homes will be registered in the names of women, aiming to give them greater ownership and empowerment.
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